Newsoms tough choice to replace the late senator diane feinstein

Newsoms tough choice to replace the late senator diane feinstein

Newsom Endorses Laphonza Butler for Feinstein’s Legacy Butler, an esteemed Out Black lesbian Democratic tactician, receives Newsom’s nod, marking a significant stride in the labor movement.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In the wake of a somber weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his decision to bestow the esteemed Laphonza Butler, an openly Black lesbian and the distinguished President of EMILY’s List, with the monumental task of filling the void left by the revered late U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein.

Butler, united in matrimony with Neneki Lee, a pivotal figure at the SEIU’s Public Services Division in Washington D.C., emerges as a beacon of diversity and representation.

POLITICO, with Christopher Cadelago at the forefront, was the initial harbinger of this development. A confidante within the governor’s enclave dispelled any conjectures of preconditions tethered to Butler’s 2024 aspirations.

Governor Newsom, in a communique, extolled Butler as a stalwart advocate for the female populace and the working class, a legacy inherited from preceding generations. Her counsel, esteemed by Vice President Harris, epitomizes California’s quintessence. Amidst the lamentation for Senator Feinstein, Butler is envisioned as the torchbearer of freedoms under siege, ascending through glass ceilings to champion the Californian ethos in the nation’s capital.

SCOOP: Gavin Newsom will appoint EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler to fill the seat of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, elevating the head of a fundraising juggernaut that works to elect Dem women who support abortion rights, per a person familiar.https://t.co/FtOv4fneAk
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) October 2, 2023

Equality California tweeted a statement praising Newsom’s action :

Executive Director @TonyHoang on Governor @GavinNewsom’s selection of @LaphonzaB to serve as the next U.S. Senator from California: pic.twitter.com/6RYB1SUyEr
— Equality California (@eqca) October 2, 2023

Senator Alex Padilla, the Golden State’s senior representative in the Senate, lauded Newsom’s expeditious decision, underscoring the imperative of unyielding representation amidst a fragile Democratic majority. Butler’s voice, resonating with the ethos of working families and LGBTQ rights, and echoing the clarion call for amplified female presence in the political arena, is a welcome addition.

Butler’s odyssey in the Democratic political landscape and labor movement spans two decades, marked by an unwavering commitment to female empowerment and vocal advocacy. Her affiliation with Vice President Kamala Harris and her ascendancy as the inaugural openly LGBTQ and Black lesbian Senator underscores a historical milestone.

Before her tenure at EMILY’s List, Butler’s expertise was instrumental at Airbnb and SCRB Strategies, contributing to the electoral successes of diverse candidates. Her labor movement legacy, marked by her presidency at SEIU Local 2015, epitomizes her advocacy for pay equity and the upliftment of working women. Butler’s strategic acumen was pivotal in the elevation of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors to an all-female composition.

Butler’s roots trace back to Magnolia, MS. An alumna of the esteemed Jackson State University, she resides in Maryland with Neneki and their daughter, Nylah. EMILY’s List, an emblematic entity in the political landscape, remains dedicated to the electoral ascension of pro-abortion rights Democratic female candidates, epitomizing the adage, “Early Money Is Like Yeast,” a testament to the catalytic essence of preliminary funding.